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‘Yeh Dil Mange More…' An actor’s tryst with Batra’s heroism Cold WAR     Saga of valour, sacrifice  Palampur bids adieu to Vikram Batra            

  

Capt Vikram Batra Govt Degree College



            

 

Captain Vikram Batra, PVC (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest and prestigious award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir between India and Pakistan. He led one of the toughest operations in mountain warfare in Indian history. He was often called as ‘'Sher Shah'’ in the intercepted messages of the Pakistan army.

Childhood and education
Vikram Batra was born on 9 September 1974 in Ghuggar village near Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, the son of Girdhari Lal Batra and Jai Kamal Batra. He had two sisters and one twin brother. His twin brother was named Vishal. The parents later nicknamed their newborn twins as: 'Luv' (Vikram) and 'Kush' (Vishal). He got his primary education from his mother, who herself was a teacher. He then attended the D.A.V. Public School in Palampur. He received his senior secondary education at Central School, Palampur.

At school he was a keen sportsman and excelled at Table tennis, which he played at national level. He also earned a green belt in Karate. After completing his class 12 in 1992 from Central School, he attended DAV College, Chandigarh in B.Sc. At college, he joined the NCC (air wing) while he was in the first year. He was adjudged the best cadet in the air wing of NCC in two zones. During the next two years in DAV, he remained a cadet of the Army wing of NCC. He was selected to attend a 40-day helicopter flight course at Pinjore flying club. In 1994, he took part in the Republic Day parade as an NCC cadet, and when he came home, he told his parents that he wanted to join the army. His maternal grandfather was also a soldier in the Indian Army. During the graduation course in 1995, he was selected for the merchant navy, but he ultimately opted for the Indian Army.

He also attended the Panjab University to study for a master's degree in English. During his days at the university, he prepared for the Combined Defence Services Examination and also worked part-time as a branch manager of a travelling agency in Chandigarh. "I do not want to be a burden on you, dad," he had told his father.

Early military career


Vikram Batra joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in 1996. In December 1997, Batra was commissioned as Lieutenant into the Indian Army after passing out of the Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the 13th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif) and his first posting with his regiment was in the terrorist prone Sopore town in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. During his posting in Sopore, Batra had a miraculous escape when a terrorist's bullet had grazed his shoulder and struck a men behind him from his battalion and killed him. Batra knew the bullet was meant for him and was deeply upset. "Didi, it was meant for me and I lost my man," he had told his elder sister over the phone.

He later attended the Young Officer's Course at the Infantry School at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, receiving 'alpha grading' for his overall performance. Following completion of the course, he attended a 35-day Commando Course at Belgaum, Karnataka, earning the Instructor grading.

Every time, when he came home to Palampur on leave, he would visit the Neugal Cafe. Captain Batra last came home on leave from the army in 1999, during the Holi festival for a few days. During that time, when he went to the Café for a coffee, he met an acquaintance who told him to be careful in the war,

to which Batra replied, "'I'll either come back after raising the Indian flag in victory or return wrapped in it. But I'll come for sure.'"

After the holiday, he returned to join his battalion at Sopore. On completing its counter-insurgency operations in Sopore, the 13 JAK Rifles received orders to proceed to Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh but shortly thereafter, because of the war emergency, its deployment orders were changed and Vikram Batra was ordered to report for duty in Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir on 1 June 1999.

He assured his parents that they need not worry about him. He would call his parents at least once in ten days. The last phone call he made was on 29 June 1999. Mommy, ek dum fit hoon, fikar mat karna, [I'm absolutely fine. Don't you worry.] This was the last time that Vikram Batra spoke to his mother.

Beginning his service as a lieutenant, he rose to the rank of Captain.

Kargil War


Batra's battalion, the 13 JAK Rifles was ordered to proceed to Dras on 5 June 1999. The battalion reached Dras on 6 June and was placed under the command of the 56 Mountain Brigade, and had been given orders to act as reserves to 2 Rajputana Rifles during their attack on Tololing mountain in Dras. During the first attack on Tololing on 22 May, the 18 Grenadiers, which made the attack, suffered heavy casualties in their advance and were stopped. In all, the Grenadiers made four attempts to capture the Tololing, but could only succeed in securing the lower slopes, while suffering heavy casualties. Eventually, the 2nd Rajputana Rifles was assigned the mission of capturing Tololing feature. The 2 Raj Rifles, successfully captured the Tololing on 13 June 1999 after fierce fighting.

After the capture of Tololing, the 13 JAK Rifles moved from Dras to Tololing. The battalion reached there after twelve hours of walking. Upon reaching, Alpha Comany took over Tololing and a portion of the Hump Compex from 18 Grenadiers.

Capture of Point 5140
The 13 JAK Rifles was assigned the task of capturing Point 5140, a strategically important peak in the Dras sector on 17 June 1999. At the Hump Complex, the two officers, Lieutenant Vikram Batra and Captain Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, received their briefing about the mission from Lieutenant Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi, commanding officer of the 13 JAK Rifles. During the briefing, Lieutenant Batra told his Commanding Officer that Yeh Dil Mange More! (This heart wants more!) would be the success signal for his company and Captain Jamwal chose the words ''Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah!'' as his success signal for his company. The battalion conducted a detailed reconnaissance of the area for two days. A strategy to attack the feature from two flanks was then finalised. They divided into two companies, one, designated Bravo Company, under the command of Captain Jamwal and the other, Delta Company, led by Lieutenant Vikram Batra.

Under cover of the artillery fire, the two assault companies began climbing the Point 5140, which was at an altitude of about 15,000 feet, after midnight on 20 July. The artillery at Hump had already begun its preparatory bombardment of Point 5140. As planned, the artillery guns would stop firing when the troops were 200 metres short of the objective.

Once the artillery guns, including the MBRLs and 105 mm guns, had ceased firing, the enemy soldiers immediately came out of their bunkers and put down heavy fire with their machine guns on the advancing Indian soldiers. At that moment, the two officers, Capt Jamwal and Lt Batra, realising the gravity of the situation, contacted commanders at the base on the radio, asking to continue artillery bombardment of the enemy positions till they reached 100 metres from their target.

By 0315 hours, both B and D Companies had reached the vicinity of Point 5140 despite the treacherous terrain. The peak had 7 bunkers in all, 2 on the top and 5 towards the east. Jamwal's company reached the top of the feature first and assaulted from the left flank.

Nicknamed Sher Shah ('Lion King') in Urdu for his courage which also doubled as his call sign, Lieutenant Batra (at time) decided to approach the hill from the rear, aiming to surprise the enemy, and to cut off their withdrawal route.

By 0330 hours, the 'B' company had captured its objective, and at 0335 hours Captain Jamwal radioed his command post: ''Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah!''

Meanwhile, Lt Batra fired three rockets towards the bunkers on the east, before attacking them. He and his men ascended the sheer rock-cliff, but as the group neared the top, the enemy pinned them on the face of the bare cliff with machine gun fire. Captain Batra, along with five of his men, climbed up regardless and after reaching the top, hurled two grenades at the machine gun post. He then killed three enemy soldiers single-handedly in close combat. He was seriously injured in the process, but insisted on regrouping his men to continue with the mission. Despite his wounds, he continued to lead his troops, and then charged at the next enemy position and captured Point 5140 on 20 June 1999. In all its actions, his company killed at least eight Pakistani intruders and recovered a heavy anti-aircraft machine gun. The remaining enemy soldiers fled.

At 0435 hours, Lt Batra radioed his command post, "Yeh Dil Mange More!", his success signal, which indicated that the Point 5140 had been captured. Considerable quantities of arms and ammunition were recovered. The captured munitions indicated that the enemy's strength was about a platoon. The Indian side suffered no casualties in the battle. The Pakistani forces were pushed back even further. When the news reached Brigade headquarters that Point 5140 had been captured, the brigade commander asked Lt Colonel Joshi about the casualties. His reply was: "There was not a single casualty. Not a single soldier died in the operation."

The conflict around Dras turned decisively in favour of India, following the capture of Point 5140.

After the Indian troops captured Point 5140, helicopters began to land on the 'Tololing Top'.

After this battle, Vikram Batra was soon promoted to the rank of Captain. General Ved Prakash Malik, the then Chief of Army Staff, called to congratulate him. All across the nation, his triumph was being played out on television screens.

The capture of Point 5140 set in motion a string of successes, such as Point 5100, Point 4700, Junction Peak and Three Pimples. Along with fellow Captain Anuj Nayyar, Batra led his men to victory with the recapture of Point 4750 and Point 4875. This led to the fall of Tiger Hill and to India’s eventual eventual victory.

After coming down, Batra called home on satellite phone, "'Daddy, I've captured.'" His father was puzzled, and for a moment thought he was captured. He would feel frightened, and would tell his son to speak clearly. Batra laughed and said, "'Oh Daddy, I've captured the enemy's post. I'm OK, I'm OK,'"

"'Bete [son], I'm proud of you, replied G L Batra, may God bless you to carry on your task there.'"

On 26 June, shortly after the capture of Point 5140, the 13 JAK Rifles, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Y.K. Joshi, was ordered to move from Dras to Ghumri to rest, refit, and recoup. The battalion then moved to Mushkoh Valley on 30 June.

Capture of Point 4875
Upon reaching Mushkoh Valley, the 13 JAK Rifles was placed under the command of 79 Mountain Brigade. The next assignment for Batra's battalion was to capture the Point 4875, a strategically important peak located in the Mushkoh Valley. Since the feature dominated the National Highway 1 completely from Dras to Matayan, it became imperative for the Indian Army to capture this notorious Point 4875. A stretch of 30–40 kilometres of the national highway was under direct observation of the enemy. From Point 4875, Pakistani artillery observers could easily see Indian gun positions, army camps and troop movement, and bring down effective artillery fire at will. On 1 July 1999, Major S Vijay Bhaskar, 'A' Company commander and Lt. Col. Joshi, commanding officer of the 13 JAK Rifles, conducted their preliminary reconnaissance, after climbing to a vantage point, and formulated an attack plan. Subsequently, on 2 July, General Officer Commanding 8 Mountain Division, Major General Mohinder Puri and Brigadier Rajesh Kumar Kakkar Commander 79 Mountain Brigades and Lt Col Y.K. Joshi, Commanding Officer 13 JAK Rifles gathered at 79 Mountain Brigades headquarters, to discuss the attack plan.

The battalion was deployed to firebase, located in a defiladed area, approximately 1500 metres from the Point 4875. Over the two days, on 2 and 3 July, weapons carriers from the 13 JAK Rifles and 28 Rashtriya Rifles dumped ammunition and heavy weapons. During the day of 4 July, the company commanders of 'A' and 'C' Companies, Major S.V. Bhaskar and Major Gurpreet Singh, conducted their final reconnaissance and showed the objectives to their 'O' groups.

At 1800 hours that same day, artillery bombardment of the enemy positions on Point 4875 commenced, and continued non-stop, throughout the whole night. 155 mm Bofors Howitzers, 105 mm Field Guns, and multi barrel rocket launchers were used in the bombardment of Point 4875. At 2030 hours in the pitch black night, under cover of artillery fire, 'A' and 'C' Companies began climbing the Point 4875. Captain Vikram Batra was lying in a sleeping bag in a tent on the rocky ground near the Mushkoh nullah, and was down with fever and fatigue. His commanding officer had ordered him to rest even though his battalion, 13 JAK Rifles, had launched its attack on the Point 4875.

Both the assault companies were leading the offensive from the right flank. The climbing was difficult, the soldiers had to knock off enemy pockets of resistance which they encountered en route. "But at one point, a strategically located machine gun halted the advance of the soldiers. And at first light the soldiers were still 50 meters short of the target. Now it was getting dangerous because in the morning these soldiers could easily be seen by the Pakistanis. The movement of the troops was also halted by very effective sniper fire by enemy soldiers hiding behind rocks," Colonel Joshi said.

At 0430 hours, the two companies deployed their automatic weapons and began to fire at strong well-fortified enemy positions at the top of the feature. The enemy was bringing down very effective small arms fire and sniper fire, which effectively blocked the advance of the Indian troops. At around 1015 hours on 5 July, the commanding officer of 'C' company spoke to the battalion commanding officer and explained his company's predicament and the area from where the enemy was bringing in effective fire on to them. Brigadier Kakkar was personally supervising operations.

At this juncture, the battalion commanding officer, Lt Col Joshi personally fired two Fagot missiles in quick succession from the fire base and neutralized the enemy position. Brigadier Kakkar watched the firing of the missiles through his binoculars. "Bull's eye! You've got them," he said to Joshi over the wireless. The bunker received a direct hit and the enemy soldiers were seen fleeing from it. They then promptly began advancing again. Soon, Company C with two sections, led by Major Gurpreet Singh assualted the enemy position. By 1300 hours, these troops had captured Point 4875. Subsequently, both 'A' and 'C' Companies linked up. They then consolidated their hold on Point 4875, but the Indian troops continued to receive enemy artillery and machine-gun fire from Pimple 2 and area North of Point 4875.

At 2200 hours on 5 July, from a Pakistani postion north of Point 4875, the enemy brought heavy and accurate fire on the two companies. In the early hours of the following morning at 0445 hours, 'C' Company reported that they were in a heavy firefight and were running out of ammunition. Company B, the reserve company, promptly brought up the ammunition and the firefight continued.

The Indian victory would not have been complete without the capture of 'Area Flat Top', an adjacent peak and part of enemy defences on Point 4875. The 13 JAK Rifles had captured Flat top feature of Point 4875 on the afternoon of 5 July after a fierce battle with Pakistani forces. But the enemy launched an immediate counterattack to take back the Area Flat Top they had lost. "Young Captain NA Nagappa was holding Flat Top. He had a small force but he fought ferociously to beat back the offensive. The first counter-attack was beaten back. The Pakistanis too were facing the same problem of climbing, with the Indian Army on top shooting at them. It is not that they did not have the will to do it but the carpet-firing by our troops did not let them come to the top," a 79 Infantry Brigade officer said. There was a seesaw battle taking place at the Area Flat Top. All of a sudden, a shell hit Area Flat Top, seriously injuring Captain Nagappa who was shooting at the advancing Pakistani soldiers. Splinters pierced through both his legs and he fell unconscious. Taking advantage of this situation, the Pakistanis started climbing faster.

Suddenly, Captain Batra, who was silently observing the situation from base, went to his commanding officer and volunteered, saying the words "I'LL GO UP SIR." Seeing him unwell, the Commanding Officer did not have a heart to let him go but Batra insisted on it.

That same day, the enemy launched a second counterattack on Flat Top and although the Indian troops succeeded in beating back this too, they urgently needed reinforcements. Seeing Batra's determination to save Peak 4875 and the honour of his battalion, several of his battalion's soldiers volunteered to accompany him even before any Company could be ordered. "Despite strict rules, where soldiers cannot question the orders of their seniors, several soldiers literally pleaded for permission to accompany Batra even at the cost of earning severe displeasure of the Commanding Officer. The soldiers were so moved that they were willing to be jailed or court-martialled but only wanted permission to accompany Batra and reinforce the army on top of the peak," a JAKRIF officer said.

Just before leaving, Batra along with the 25 men of his Delta Company, who were to accompany him, prayed at the Durge Mala temple. It was pitch black night when they began the climb. Having heard a wireless message from the base that Sher Shah (Batra's code name) was coming, a cheer went up among the tired Indian soldiers on top. The commander ordered them to hold their ground until Sher Shah arrived and then he would take over. "The Pakistanis too intercepted the wireless message where the base told the peak that Sher Shah was coming. They knew Batra, the first man on top of Peak 5140 in Drass, was Sher Shah and broke into the Indian wireless system to threaten him. Undeterred Batra kept climbing," said a soldier who accompanied him.

On the night of 6–7 July, the opposing forces were so close that besides exchanges of small arms fire, verbal exchanges continued throughout the night. It was at this stage that it became imperative for Indian troops to destroy this Pakistani post, located north of Point 4875, from where enemy fire was coming as otherwise the situation could get worse. At this juncture, the Indian troops detected the enemy presence on a long and narrow ledge, running north from Point 4875. On the ledge, the enemy were holding strong sangars echeloned one behind the other. Batra, who was still recovering from his own wounds he received in the battle of Point 5140, wanted to reach the top to rescue his fellow soldiers and carry out reconnaissance of the ledge where the enemy soldiers were. "The problem was that the Indian soldiers were caught unawares about the presence of the enemy soldiers on the ledge ahead of Twin Bump. They went ahead into the enemy lines and destroyed their bunkers on 4875 Peak but the firing from the ledge pinned them down," Colonel Joshi said. It was pitch dark when Batra had left at night. But even near the top where the climb was vertical, vision due to fog was almost zero. To make matters worse, it started snowing as they advanced. En route to the top, Batra spotted a Pakistani machine gun position firing at the trapped Indian soldiers. Crouching, he moved toward the machine gun position, hiding behind rocks whenever possible. As he reached close to the enemy's machine gun position he lobbed a grenade, destroying the machine gun position. "Follow me, boys," he whispered in the dark, and they advanced to the next position. At 16,087 feet, even though they were struggling for breath and panting, this did not stop them and they kept advancing non-stop. Before first light on the 7th, the troops succeeded in knocking out two more enemy machine guns, however, firing from the ledge continued. Batra's platoon soon reached the ledge, though by this time it was broad daylight.

At 0530 hours Lt. Col. Joshi spoke to Captain Batra and asked him to reconnoitre the area. Captain Batra, accompanied by Subedar Raghunath Singh and Major Bhat, his artillery observation officer, took out a patrol to recce a route to re-inforce Naveen from a flank. Batra located the position of the enemy sangar on the ledge from which enemy machine guns were holding up the advance of his company. At this juncture, Batra, realising that there was no way from the left or right, decided to make a direct assault in daylight itself. At great personal risk and under heavy fire from enemy machine guns and grenade firing launchers, Batra moved forward, screaming the battle cry of JAK RIF – Durge mata ki jai, and charged the sangar firing incessantly from his AK-47. He sustained grievous injuries in the process, yet he continued his charge, with supporting fire from the rest of the patrol, and reached the very narrow entrance of the sangar, taking the enemy by complete surprise, he killed 5 Pakistani soldiers in a close-quarter battle. "There was a time he grappled with a Pakistani soldier, punching him in the nose. As soon as he fell, Batra plunged his bayonet into the fallen soldier's stomach. But another enemy soldier caught him from behind. He, too, was done to death after being thrown off the back by Batra, the ferocious. All hell broke loose. It was utter chaos," a soldier of JAK RIF, who accompanied him in the attack, said. The attack resulted in seven Pakistani soldiers killed and Indians gaining a foothold on the ledge. Taken by surprise by this ferocious attack, Pakistanis started retreating. Captain Batra and his men had gained the upper hand by now. However, there was still a enemy machine gun nest in action on that ledge that had to be silenced. Four Pakistani soldiers including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), who was guiding the fire on the Indian soldiers fighting outside, were manning the machine gun nest. Enraged Batra quickly charged forward alone, killing all four members of the crew.

Suddenly, Batra realized that one of his men had been shot. Turning his face toward Subedar Raghunath Singh, who was sitting behind a nearby boulder, maintaining an iron grip on his AK-47, Batra shouted above the din of flying bullets: "Aap aur main usko evacuate karenge," (We wil evacuate him, you and I). With bullets flying around him, he pushed the JCO toward the safer side and taking his place instead, saying: "You have a family and children to go back to, I'm not even married. Main sar ki taraf rahunga aur aap paanv uthayenge" (I will take the head and you take his feet). Batra courageously exposed himself to enemy fire to drag the injured soldier to safety, and in the process was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper from very close range and a split-second later, by a splinter from an RPG which hit him in the head.

Param Vir Chakra
Captain Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence. His father Mr. G.L. Batra received the honor for his deceased son from the President of India, the late K. R. Narayanan.

The Param Vir Chakra citation reads as follows:

In popular culture
In the 2003 Hindi film LOC Kargil, based on the entire Kargil conflict Abhishek Bachchan played the role of Captain Batra.

Legacy


Captain Batra is also well known in India for using the slogan, Yeh Dil Maange More! as his signal to communicate mission success. He is also known for an interview in which he stated that Pakistani Soldiers were aware of him as "Sher Shah" and addressed him as such in the middle of engagements.

He is also honoured with several landmarks being named after him: The historic capture of point 4875 led to the mountain being named 'Batra top' in his honor. A hall at Service Selection Center Allahabad is named 'Vikram Batra Block', a residential area in the Jabalpur Cantonment is called 'Captain Vikram Batra Enclave' and the combined cadet's mess at the IMA is named 'Vikram Batra Mess'.

A memorial for war veterans including Batra stands at his alma matter DAV College, Chandigarh honouring the services of the soldiers.

Popular Quotes and Exchanges
Vikram Batra has become an Indian hero; an icon for patriotic sentiments in the media and across the population spectrum.


 * Batra's Yeh Dil Maange More!, erstwhile a popular slogan for a Pepsi commercial, became an iconic battle cry that swept across the country and remains popular with millions of Indians, invoked at patriotic public events, in memory of the war and the soldiers, and as a symbol of an inevitable spirit of Indian patriotism and valor in face of future attacks.


 * Upon reaching the Point 5140 he got into a cheeky radio exchange with an enemy commander, who challenged him by saying, "Why have you come Sher Shah (Vikram’s nick name given by his commanding officer), you will not go back." Captain Vikram Batra is said to have replied, “We shall see within one hour, who remains on the top."''
 * While dragging Lt. Naveen back under cover, Naveen pleaded to Captain Batra to let him continue the fight in spite the injuries to which Captain Batra replied "Tu baal bachedaar hai!! Hatt jaa peeche," ("You have kids and wife to look after! Get back!").
 * Batra's last words were the battle-cry "Jai Mata Di!" (''"Victory to Mother Durga!"